ChildFund Uganda is rolling out the Responsive and Protective Parenting (RPP) program model that aims to increase protection and developmental outcomes for infants and young children.
This model is to be delivered in a period of one year through capacity building of parents/caregivers, government, community, and any other stakeholders that impact the well-being of children.
The RPP program model is a ChildFund International Global program model that provides a set of technical and content standards based on the Nurturing Care Framework and Early Childhood Development foundational concepts such as brain development, health, nutrition, early stimulation/learning, safety and security, preventative child protection, responsive caregiving, and caregiver well-being.
According to a media brief released Thursday by Brenda Asiimwe, the Communications Officer at ChildFund Uganda, the RPP curriculum seeks to strengthen multi-sectoral sub-national government and local partners’ capacity to support community stakeholders in ensuring protective and nurturing home and community environments for infants and young children (IYC).
“It also seeks to strengthen community stakeholders’ knowledge on Early Childhood Development foundations, responsive and protective caregiving across the components of nurturing care, Community Based Child Protection, and caregiver well-being to support caregivers in group and home parenting sessions,” reads the statement in part.
It adds: “[RPP] seeks to ensure Parents/caregivers’ knowledge about the protection and optimal development needs and resources available for their infants and young children (0-5), and care for their own’s wellbeing.”
The development of the curriculum commenced in 2021 when different specialists within the organization embarked on developing a tailored curriculum that will guide the implementation of responsive and protective parenting within communities and homes.
To rollout the model, ChildFund Uganda has started with a national Training of Trainers who will then cascade the knowledge down to the parents/caregivers that are being targeted with the information in the curriculum.
ChildFund Uganda’s motivation for developing this manual is to promote quality and excellence in early childhood Development by providing guidelines for practices that will promote optimum learning of all caregivers of young children 0-5 years.
This information is targeting a reach of 2000 parents/caregivers in the Eastern and Northern parts of Uganda and will be piloted by 4 of the 9 local partners of ChildFund They are comprised of Partners for Children Worldwide, Masindi Child Development Federation, Acholi Child, and Family Programme, and Busia Area Federation of Communities.
Thereafter the curriculum will be rolled out to the entire ChildFund area of operation in over 34 districts countrywide.
Considering the increasing need for parenting practices that are supportive, proactive, responsive, and involving, this Responsive and Protective Parenting guide (RPP) is intended for community facilitators that help caregivers in developing positive parenting practices.
Consequently, this will contribute to the physical, intellectual, and social development of the children 0-5 years as well as becoming more resilient to the damaging effects of poverty, and violence.
Caregiving is a lifelong journey that starts the moment a child is born and endures throughout lifetime and space. It is important that caregivers get to know their children during this journey.
It should be noted that parenting is neglectful (for example being left to cry or ignored when the child is distressed), abusive, rejecting, and controlling can result in poor outcomes for a child in later years in life.
Therefore, Responsive and Protective Parenting (RPP) is critical in supporting and shaping children’s health, educational, emotional, and developmental outcomes, as well as supporting overall family well-being.
